The Portuguese State Mint program for 2009, as presented by Antonio Verdasca, Sales and Marketing Manager for the mint, is both modern in design and traditional in theme. A gold series for Portuguese history will feature the immortal explorer Vasco de Gama in a rather modern design. The UNESCO coins follow this same path with coins for the Monastery of Jeronimos and the popular Tower of Belem, each in 2.5 Euro denominations struck in silver proof and copper-nickel pieces. Portugal will also focus on coin designs of the past in their Numismatic Treasures series and offer an attractive Ribbon Dancer theme on a 2 Euro coin for the 2009 Lusophony Games.

All Euro countries will be issuing a commemorative 2 Euro to celebrate 10 years of economic and monetary union. These coins have a very simple design featuring a stick figure drawing incorporating the Euro symbol. Each issue will display the home countries name above the stick figure drawing and thier common obverse for the 2 Euro commemoratives. The interesting thing to watch for on these 2 Euros is the edge lettering. On the Portuguese type the edge will show five coats of arms and seven castles eaqually spaced. Several of the other countries issue of this type will feature an edge lettering unique to that country, while some will use a generic denomination style edge lettering with 2** repeating.

The subjects of languages and literature will highlight Portugal's entries into the European Cultural series. These two coin designs will be issued in silver proof and uncirculated strikes, denominated 2.5 Euro to honor Luis de Camoes and Fernando Pessoa for their impact on literature and language. Pessoa was a seminal figure in the modernist movement in literature, with heavy emphasis on his groundbreaking poetry.

About the AuthorTom Michael has been Krause Publications primary market analyst on more than 80 world and United States coin catalogs produced over the last 20 years. He came to KP in 1987 with a bachelor of arts degree in history, a master of arts degree in economics and a history of coin collecting stretching back to the 1960s. He began collecting world coins as a child by asking friends and relatives to bring coins back from overseas trips, visiting flea markets and having his mother watch for foreign coins in her register at the local grocery store. Today he works with a dedicated base of over 200 contributors to provide accurate market values for the five-volume Standard Catalog of World Coins series, as well as many specialty catalogs, including Coins & Currency of the Middle East and the fifth edition of Unusual World Coins.